Soon after the 2023-24 Milwaukee Bucks' playoff run came to its disappointing end, Thanasis Antetokounmpo received terrible news. The brother of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered what was revealed to be an Achilles injury during a workout. And with his contract having ended at the end of the season, the elder Antetokounmpo has yet to sign with an NBA team.
Antetokounmpo recently cleared up rumors that he'll retire from the NBA before returning to the court. The key role player has a timeline for his return to the league that he isn't sharing publicly at this time, per Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Now about seven months after his injury, Thanasis has a timeline for a return in his head but he does not want to disclose it publicly just yet,” Owczarski wrote. “But he said he’s hit every marker in his rehab early and is confident that he will be back in the NBA as soon as he’s able.”
Former NBA player Jeff Teague has shared on his podcast that he thinks the Bucks lost the first two games of the 2021 NBA Finals because Thanasis had COVID-19 and was not able to travel with the team.
“That's why we went down 0-2. Giannis was messed up,” said Teague. “Like him and his brother, bro, they got some different kind of connection. He can't function or play if he doesn't see his brother. I'm being for real. It was different, bro.”
It's clear that Thanasis Antetokounmpo is valuable to the Bucks in a unique way. And when he does eventually make his return to the NBA, it would not be surprising to see him sign in Milwaukee.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo wants to make his NBA return ASAP
Apr 21, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) is greeted by forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) after a timeout in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
After the elder Antetokounmpo suffered the Achilles injury, he did not think about his NBA career. The forward has played for Greece's national basketball team when possible for almost a decade. And he told Owczarski that not being able to help Greece qualify for the Olympics was his biggest concern.
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“Free agency was cool but I’m an amazing athlete so I’m coming back either way,” Antetokounmpo said. “If I come back September or I come back December, January, or February it’s OK. I understand. I already know that. This is the fight for the Olympics, a chance to fight with my brothers. There are two jerseys I love wearing the most and one of them is the national team. It was heartbreaking.”
But this is the Thanasis who made an unrealistically quick recovery from the case of COVID-19 that kept him apart from the Bucks in the NBA Finals so he could be there for his brother and their team. So, according to Owczarski, he had surgery as soon as possible so he could watch his younger brother become Greece's first-ever Black flag bearer.
Antetokounmpo also spoke beamingly of his recovery process – and the fervor with which he's approached it.
“I’m very, very dedicated,” Thanasis told Owczarski. “And I’m patiently aggressive. I’m happy I’m in the final stages of it. So, I’m very excited.”